


Dumb To Tell

by bananasandroses (achuislemochroi)



Series: Whofic [40]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: 4X13 (Journey's End), Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, Tenth Doctor Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-11-13
Updated: 2009-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-27 16:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6291697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/achuislemochroi/pseuds/bananasandroses
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Doctor, in denial.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dumb To Tell

**Author's Note:**

> A sequel to/continuation of [A Weather's Wind](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4129935).

_And I am dumb to tell the crooked rose_  
_My youth is bent by the same wintry fever._  
– Dylan Thomas

_Will you go? For her, for the one who is everything to you, will you go?_

The question, obvious although unspoken, hangs in the air between them.

“I can’t,” the Doctor gasps, clutching at the hopper in a way that convinces nobody that he believes what he’s saying.

“I thought that would be your answer,” the blue-suited Doctor says quietly. Mickey wonders if the calm, almost passive, way in which he delivers his statement is meant to provoke a reaction from the Doctor; his next words make him even more curious about what he’s trying to prove. “She wanted to come herself, you know. Practically begged to, in fact.”

“So why didn’t she?”

The brown-suited Doctor’s voice cracks with the effort of keeping it level and unemotional.

“Because I knew what your answer would be, as I said,” his duplicate answers simply. “Do you really think that I would willingly set her up for such pain if there were an alternative?”

“Are you and she ...” Mickey’s curious, but finds himself unable to complete the question with the other Doctor there in the room.

“Together?” the blue-suited Doctor answers, with a wry grin on his face.

Mickey’s only answer is a nod; he hopes for some elaboration – he knows that the Doctor feels deep, deep guilt about his actions in leaving Rose behind. But he’s also very aware that that same Doctor is hanging on every word of this surreal conversation.

“No,” the duplicate Doctor says, and Mickey can’t quite figure out to his satisfaction what the man thinks about having to make this confession. “No, we’re not.”

“Why not?”

The Doctor rejoins the conversation at this point, his voice so full of pain that both of the others wince at the sound of it.

“Because,” his duplicate says very calmly in a tone nevertheless tinged with frustration, clearly bemused at how the Doctor evidently still Does Not Get It, “I’m not _you_.”

“But ... but ...” the Doctor sputters.

“You might want to close your mouth,” his duplicate observes dryly. “The goldfish look doesn’t suit anybody, and that _includes_ you.”

The brown-suited Doctor ignores him.

“But you _are_ me. I mean, just look at you!”

This statement has the blue-suited Doctor looking at him with a clear expression of pity on his face, and Mickey rolling his eyes at him.

“I might look like you,” the blue-suited Doctor says, the levity suddenly gone from his voice as he tries again to prise his duplicate out of his obvious denial, “and sound like you, but as far as she’s concerned that’s as far as it goes. It’s you she wants, and it always has been.”


End file.
